Method of and mechanism for working fibrous material



' Ap 1930- J. N. SELVIG 1,753,948

METHOD OF AND MECHANISM FOR WORKING FIBROUS MATERIAL Filed Jan. 9, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l f/Q f /6 /a April 8, 1 930 J, sE 1,753,948

METHOD OF AND MECHANISM FOR WORKING FIBROUS MATERIAL Filed Jan. 9. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet '2 Fatented Apr. TQBO JOHN NIELSEN SELVTG, 01E CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK METHOD OF AND MECHANISM FOR WORKING FIBRO'US MATERIAL Application filed January 9, 1929. Seriallto. 331,336.

This invention relates to a method of and mechanism for working fibrous material, and more particularly to a method of and mechanism for forming pulpous material to constitute a homogeneous coating for cores in strand form, such as wire and the like.

The use of paper insulation has made possible the compact and highly eficient telephone cables of the present day. In this type of cable the paper has been applied to the individual conductors in two quite diflerent ways. Tn one case, the conductors are individually insulated by paper ribbon wrapped spirally around the conductor, while in the other case, paper pulp is applied directly to the conductors in the form: of a continuous homogeneous coating conforming to the shape of the conductor. The continued increasing demand for telephone lines, especially in thickly populated areas, has created an ever-increasing necessity for the crowding of more telephone circuits in a single sheath, which may be -very expeditiously achieved with conductors insulated by the direct application of paper pulp. However, ineach of the aforementioned cases the electrical capacity of the circuits is of paramount importance. Many difierent means and methods of obtaining low capacity between the circuits ha we been suggested, of which the use of an air space between the conductors and the inner surface of the insulation is of chief importance.

The principal object of the present invention is to rovide an inexpensive and eficient method of and mechanism for forming pulpous material upon a core to constitute a homogeneous uninterrupted coating conforming to the shape of the core and spaced from the surface thereof.

In accordance with the invention there is provided in one embodiment thereof, a rotatable carrier having an axial opening for accommodating a core and its attached pulpous ribbon which may be continuously advanced through the carrier by any suitable means.-

A plurality of forming members removably carried by the carrier are arranged to engage the pulpous ribbon and wrap the projecting edges thereof around the core as it 1s advanced through the rotating carrier. The forming members are so arranged within the rotating carrier that the core with its .attached ribbon pulp is deflected from its straight line path through the carrier whereby the inner wall of the pulp coating is compressed between the core and the pulp engaging surfaces of the forming members. This compressing action and the simultaneous rollingfengagement of the core and the forming members with the inner and outer walls, respectively, of the pulp produces a coating of substantially larger inside diam eter than the diameter of the core, thus providing an air space between the coating and the surface of the core.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings' Fig. 1 is a plan view, partially in section, of a forming mechanism embodying the features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view thereof;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view thereof;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on line Fig. 10 is a plan view, partially in section.

of an alternative form of mechanism embodying features of the invention;

Fig. 11 is a horizontal section taken on line 11-11 of Fig. 10; and

Figs. 12, 13, 14 and 15 are vertical sections taken on line 12-12, 1313, 14-14: and

1515, respectively, of Fig. 10.

The forming mechanisms herein shown and described may be employed with beneficial results in conjunction with the apparatus for date a core 21 with coating cores disclosed in the patent to H. G. alker, No. 1,615,428, issued January 25, 1927. In the operation of this apparatus, a core is brought into contact with pulpous material deposited upon a foraminous member and then an additional amount of pulpous material is deposited upon the core and the foraminous member. The pulp so deposited and the core are then brought into contact pulpous ribbon a contour such as is illustrated in Fig. 7.

The forming mechanisms illustrated in the drawings are designed to receive a core and its pulpous ribbon from the squeezing rolls and wrap the projecting edges of the pulpous ribbon around the core and around each other to form a smooth and homogeneous coating which is spaced from the core to provide a substantial air space between the core and the inner wall of the coating. The appearance of the coating immediately after starting the forming operation is shown in Fig. 8, and its appearance after the forming operation is completed is shown in Fig. 9.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawings, the numeral 15 indicates, generally, a rotatable carrier having one of its ends 16 threaded into a sleeve 17 (Fig. 1), which sleeve is rotatably journaled in 'a plurality of bearings, one of which is indicated at 18. The sleeve 17 may be rotated by any suitable means (not shown) and thus constitutes means for rotating the carrier 15. The carrier 15 and sleeve 17 are provided with central longitudinal openings 19 and 20, respectively, whereby they are adapted to accommoits attached pulpous ribbon 22 drawn through them by any suitable means (not shown).

A forming member 24 carried at the forward end of the carrier 15 is provided with a tapered pulp engaging surface 25 which is designed to preliminarily wrap the pulpous ribbon around the core in the same manner as though the core and pulpous ribbon were rolled on a table top with the palm of the hand. Supported by the carrier 15 intermediate its ends is a second forming member 27 having a curved pulp engaging surface 28 which is arranged so as to cause the core with its attached coating of pulp to be from its normal straight line path through the head 15, as clearly shown in Flg. 1. The formation of the pulpous ribbon after it 1s first acted upon by the forward end of the forming member 27, is shown in Fig. 8. After passing the forming member 27 the pulp coating is engaged by a curved surface 30 of a third forming member 31 supported at the far end of the carrier 15 and positioned so as to deflect the coated core back to its straight line path through the carrier.

Due to the arrangement of the forming members 24, 27 and 31, as above described, it is obvious that the pulp is compressed between the core and the pulp engaging surfaces of the forming members as the core is drawn under tension through the rotating carrier 15. This compressing action and the simultaneous rolling engagement of the core and the forming members with the inner and outer walls, respectively, of the pulp produces a smooth and homogeneous pulp coating of sub stantially larger inside diameter than the diameter of the core, thus providing a sub stantial air space between the core and the coating as indicated at 32 in Fig. 9.

It will be observed that the forming members 24, 27 and 31 are mounted so as to be readily removable from-the carrier 15 whereby any necessary replacements may be' expeditiously and conveniently made. uach of the forming members is provided with a rectangular groove 38 designed to engage a companion tongue portion 34 of the carrier. Readily removable pins 35', 35 are provided for securing the forming members against displacement during the operation of the mechanism. I

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 10 to 15, inclusive, a carrier member 40 is rotatably journaled at each end in supporting standards 41, 41. The carrier 40 comprises tubular end portions 42 .and 43 interconnected by oppositely disposed intermediate portions 44 and 45. A series of forming members 46, 47 and 48 are mounted between the portions 44 and 45 of the carrier and are provided with tapering U- shaped surfaces designed to successively engage the pulpous ribbon and wrap the projecting edges thereof around the core and around each other to form a'continuous coating conforming to the shape of the core. The forming members are positioned so as to deflect the core from its normal straight line path through the carrier in the manner and for the same purpose as described in connection with the forming members 24, 27 and 31 of the forming mechanism shown in Fig. 1. Each of the forming members 46, 47 and 48 is provided with oppositely disposed laterally projecting portions 49, 49 having rectangular grooves 50, 50 adapted to engage companion tongue portions 51, 51 projecting inwardly from the intermediate portions44 and 45 of the carrier 40. It will be notedthat the tongue portions 51 are interrupted by open spaces 52, 52 (Fig. 10) so locatedthattheformingmembersmaybereadily removed by shifting them to one side or the other to positions wherein the laterally projecting portions 49 register with the corresponding open spaces 52.

The carrier 40 is constructed with oppositely disposed slots 55, .55 extending longitudinally thereof between the portions 44 and 45. The purpose of this construction is to provide openings through which loose pulp or other foreign material is thrown ofi It will be understood that the embodiments of the invention herein illustrated and described are merely convenient and useful forms of the invention which is capable of other applications within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a mechanism for working fibrous material upon a moving core, a carrier, and a member supported thereby for deflecting the moving-core from its normal line of travel.

2. In a mechanism for working fibrous material upon a moving core, a carrier having an opening for accommodating a moving core, and a member supported by the carrier for deflecting. the moving core from its normal straight line path through the carrier.

3. In a mechanism for working fibrous material upon a moving core, a carrier having an opening for accommodating a moving core, a member supported, by the carrier for deflecting the moving core rom its normal straight line path through the carrier, and a second member also supported by the carrier for thereafter returning the core to said straight line path.

4. In a mechanism material upon a moving core, a rotatable carrier having an opening for accommodating the moving core, and a member removably supported by the carrier for deflecting the moving core from its normal straight line path through the carrier, said member having a polishing surface for forming the fibrous material into a continuous homogeneous coating conforming to the shape of the core.

5. In a mechanism for working fibrous material upon a continuously moving core, a rotatable carrier having an axial opening for accommodating the moving core, and a plurality of members removably supported by the carrier and positioned to deflect the moving core from its normal straight line path through the carrier, said forming members for working fibrousv having tapering curved surfaces for forming the fibrous material into a continuous homogeneous coating-conforming to the shape of the core.

6. In a mechanism for working fibrous material upon a moving core, a carrier, and a member supported thereby for deflecting the moving core from its normal line of travel, said member having a concave surface for forming the pulpous material into a continuous homogeneous coating conforming to the shape of the core.

7. In a mechanism for working fibrous material upon a moving core,'a rotatable carrier having an opening for accommodating the moving core, and a member removably supported by the carrier for deflecting the moving core from its normal straight line path through the carrier, said member having a tapering concave surface continuously engaging the fibrous material.

8. In a mechanism for working fibrous material upon a continuously moving core, a forming member for deflecting the core from its normal straight line path in such a man ner that the fibrous material is compressed between the core and the forming member to produce a coating of substantially larger inside diameter than the diameter of the core.

9. In a mechanism for working pulpous material upon a continuously moving core, a rotatable carrier having an axial opening for accommodating the moving core, and a plurality of forming members removably supported by the carrier for deflecting the core from its normal straight line path through the carrier in such manner that the pulpous material is compressed between the core and the forming members to produce a coating of substantially larger inside diameter than the diameter of the core.

10. In a mechanism for working pulpous material upon a continuously moving core, a rotatable carrier having an axial opening for accommodating the moving core, and a plurality of forming members removably supported by the carrier and positioned to defiect the core from its normal straight line path through the carrier, said forming members having tapering U-shaped surfaces cooperating with the core to successively compress the pulpous material into a continuous homogeneous coating conforming to the shape of the core and spaced from the surface thereof.

11. The method of coating a core in a strand form, which consists in applying pulpous material to the core, and then forming the pulpous. material upon the core in such manner that the material is compressed by the core to form a tubular covering therefor of substantially greater inner diameter than the diameter of the core.

12. The method of coating a core in strand form, which consists in attaching a ribbon of pulpous material to the core, and then forming the ribbon around the core in such manner that it is compressed by the core to form a tubular covering of substantially greater inner diameter than the diameter of the core.

13. The method of coating a core in strand form, which consists in applying pulpous material to the core, forming the pulpous material on the core to constitute a tubular covering for the core and simultaneously compressing the inner Wall of the tubular covering to form a covering of substantially greater inner diameter than the diameter of the core.

14. The method of coating a core in strand form, which consists in applying covering material to the core, longitudinally advancing the core, and deflecting the core from its normal path in such manner that the coyering material is ironed out by the core to form a covering of substantially greater inner diameter than the diameter of the core;

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 26th day of December, A. D.-

JOHN NILSEN SELVIG. 

